US Navy Tailhook Scandal (1991)

US Navy

The Tailhook scandal was a series of incidents where more than 100 U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps aviation officers were alleged to have sexually assaulted 83 women and 7 men, or otherwise engaged in “improper and indecent” conduct at the Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1] The events took place at the 35th Annual Tailhook Association Symposium from September 8 to 12, 1991. –Wikipedia

1992
Tailhook: Scandal Time
Navy Secretary orders disciplinary action in Tailhook scandal
70 to Run the Navy’s Gauntlet for Involvement in Tailhook Scandal
Sexual-Harassment Scandal Rocks US Navy Into Reform
Tailhook finally permeates presidential consciousness
Two Navy Admirals Removed in Tailhook Scandal
Navy Secretary Orders Anti-Sexual Abuse Training — Action Follows Tailhook Scandal, New Incident At California Base
Witch Hunt In the Navy
Running a Gauntlet of Sexual Abuse: Sexual Harassment of Female Naval Personnel in the United States Navy (Californian Western Law)
Sexual scandal has US Navy chiefs all at sea: Revelations of misconduct have forced the entire military to examine how women are treated, says David Usborne in Washington

1993
The Gauntlet
Up To 150 In Tailhook Scandal Face Penalties An Investigator Is Expected To Present His Findings Friday. An Official Said It “Won’t Be A Pretty Picture.”
What Really Happened at Tailhook Convention : Scandal: The Pentagon report graphically describes how fraternity-style hi-jinks turned into hall of horrors.
Navy Vice Admiral Addresses Issue Of Tailhook Scandal
Navy Secretary Seeks Top Admiral’s Resignation in the Tailhook Scandal
Another flier cleared of assault in Navy’s Tailhook sex scandal
Three Navy admirals punished in Tailhook scandal

1994
Light Punishment For Admiral’s Son
Tailhook Plaintiff Wins Suit

1995
She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal
Review: ‘She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal’

1996
Tailhook Storm Still Is Raging: Denied Promotion, A Pilot Sued The Navy
Admiral, in Suicide Note, Apologized to ‘My Sailors’
Letter revealed Boorda wanted to avoid shame
The Murder of Admiral Jeremy Boorda
Navy Petty Officer Elise Makdessi Double Crossed & Murdered by Husband Eddie who Came Up with a Better Plan Yielding him $700,000 in Life Insurance
Navy Petty Officer Quincy Brown Murdered by Military Spouse Motivated to Kill by Wife’s $700,000 Life Insurance Policy
`Frontline’ Leaves Tailhook Questions Unanswered
Hilton lawyer argues for overturn of Tailhook award

1998
Navy boots male, female sailors for group sexual incident

2000
Navy Probes Alleged ‘Tailhook 2’ Groping

2001
Tailhook: The Dream and the Reality

2002
New York Times Insults Memory of Retired Naval Officer Killed in September 11th Terrorist Attack
New Information Undermines Lawsuit Intended to Silence CMR

2003
Retired admiral’s reputation healed after ’93 scandal
A Tale of Two Paula’s

2008
McCain Picks Tailhook Sexual Harassment Scandal Vet To Oversee Transition

2009
Lt. Comm. Alberta Jones, US Navy
Lt. Comm. Alberta Jones discusses the coverup of her sexual harassment case

2010
Navy Man Claims Aviator Call Signs Get Too Personal
Retired Navy Officer Robert Klosterman Shot his Wife Rebecca Because She ‘Ruined’ his Military Career, Then He Shot Himself

2011
Navy is reliving the ‘Tailhook’ scandal
Navy women see slow-but-steady rise in ranks
Lewd Videos Cost Navy Capt. His Command
Navy officer at center of racy-videos case to be relieved of command
Salty Dogs No More: Navy Cans Officers for Personal Failings
Where are the now? (Paula Coughlin)

2012
Military’s tough stance on sex abuse hailed
‘Tailhook’ cleaned up, but top Marine sees more work to stop sex assaults
Sexual Assaults Plague Military After Decades of Reform
Jacksonville resident in historic ‘Tailhook’ military scandal keeps pressure on sex assault issue
Lackland fallout: Rape victim turned whistleblower calls for congressional hearings
Tailhook Whistleblower Demands Congress Investigate Lackland Sexual Assaults
Tailhook whistle-blower calls for Lackland sex scandal hearing
Tailhook whistle-blower wants congressional hearing on Lackland

2013
The Feminist Assault on the Military
Revisiting the Military’s Tailhook Scandal
Retro Report: The Legacy of Tailhook
Legacy of the Tailhook Scandal | The New York Times
Senior US navy officers under investigation as bribery scandal widens
Navy scandal spans globe, climbs ranks
Adm. Frank Kelso, 79, tied to Tailhook scandal
Frank Kelso, 79, former top admiral who was mired in Tailhook scandal
Revisiting the Tailhook Sexual Assault Scandal

2014
Accused Navy pilot Gregory McWherter resigns as Tailhook Association president
Blue Angels’ former commander under investigation quits Tailhook post
Navy Times: Blue Angels report calls out fighter pilot culture
Tailhook victim criticizes ‘ludicrous’ sentence in Tuesday’s Nellis court-martial

2015
Sexism Snarks Assembly of Female Navy Aviators
The man who seduced the 7th fleet: Fat Leonard’s trail of corruption
Tailhook Scandal

2016
Guest column: Tailhook started huge changes
She’s Got Grit: A Conversation with Pioneer Navigator Linda Maloney
The 10 Most Shocking Military Scandals

Books:
Inside the Tailhook Scandal: A Naval Aviator’s Story
The Mother of All Hooks: The Story of the U. S. Navy’s Tailhook Scandal
Fall From Glory: The Men Who Sank the U.S. Navy
Tailhook ’91 and the US Navy (Duke University)

Victims:
Victim 7: Lieutenant (0-3) United States Navy/Female
Victim 9: Civilian/Female
Victim 11: Civilian/Female
Victim 19: Lieutenant (0-3)United States Navy Reserve/Female
Victim 37: Civilian/Female
Victim 38: Civilian/Female
Victim 50: Lieutenant (0-3) United States Navy/Female (Paula Coughlin)
Tailhook Male Victims


Military sexual assault is not a new phenomenon. A second look at the Tailhook scandal in 1991 reveals what happened then. And what it all means now. -NY Times

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